


Shackled

by CorsetJinx



Category: Fate/Grand Order
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Gen, Loss, Platonic Relationships, Responsibility
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-21
Updated: 2018-07-21
Packaged: 2019-06-14 05:01:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 947
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15381219
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CorsetJinx/pseuds/CorsetJinx
Summary: Entry into Babylonia went well enough, but no one stopped to consider that Ereshkigal might make off with Chaldea's Master. In the depths of the netherworld her power remains, far above that of what mortals can rationalize. It would be enough to protect her master from what's to come, forever and always, right?





	Shackled

"Why do you want to leave?" Ereshkigal asks, barring the way that leads out. Well, leads _up_ , to be more precise - but within the depths of the underworld any direction that was not _flat_ or angled further _down_ gave a tiny semblance of hope. The hope of escape, of seeing the sun again, to rejoin the living and complete their goal.

Even in such dark Ereshkigal's eyes seemed to glow with a light all their own. Her expression looked strained, the corners of her host's mouth turned downwards and the skin around her eyes tight. She held herself stiffly, dissatisfaction radiating from her person. Her hands balled into fists, driving the points of her nails into her palms. Perhaps she was shaking, a goddess's hurt and anger and betrayal too much for a human body to fully contain but the gloom of her realm made it difficult to see.

"It is _safe_ here." She bit out slowly. Each word sounded thick. Heavy with an unspoken plea. "I _know_ it's not the upper world - that this isn't Uruk or _Chaldea_ but it's _safe_. I can keep you safe here!"

The cages housing human souls rattled, agitated by their mistress's pain. Suspended from the ceiling, only just visible to the human eye, they watched her attempt to swallow back what she felt lest it become too much.

"Humans _still_ exist," she continued, a hand coming up to her chest. "They haven't forgotten me yet - I am _still_ a goddess! I am at my full power in this era, you wouldn't have to worry about anything!"

The echo of her voice seemed too loud. Too pained, even for the eternal dusk of the netherworld.

Slowly, softly, the Master of Chaldea replied. "I can't."

" _Why?!_ " Ereshkigal cried, desperation coming to the surface. "Uruk will stand for centuries more - Goldie knows what he's doing! He's a fool and he's rude but he's a good king and the people will be safe and whole for a long, long time! Solomon _can't_ come here. I have Authority in this place," she flung an arm out wide, encompassing the entirety of her domain. "No matter what happens, what he sends, I could keep you safe. We could be _happy_ \- "

She stopped, frozen in place with wide eyes.

"I-I..." The word fumbled on her lips, trailing off into nothing. Ereshkigal floundered, not seeming to know what she should do with herself.

"If I stay," the Master of Chaldea began, still speaking in that soft voice. "Then it won't matter if you keep me safe, Eresh."

She flinched at the use of the nickname.

"Solomon will find a way." They insisted, eyes sad. "Humanity will still be incinerated in the future. If I don't try and fix the Singularities then the whole world ends anyway. I can't..." They paused, feeling the lump in their throat. The backs of their eyes burned. "I can't just turn my back on that. On everyone."

Ereshkigal turned her face away, shoulders drawing in. The fall of her hair obscured her face but the thick air of the netherworld still carried the scent of her distress.

"You're just like him." She muttered in a tiny voice. It sounded different - as though it came from the girl whose body housed the goddess and not Ereshkigal herself. "Putting others ahead of yourself. Why? Why can't you just be _selfish_ and let me keep you..?"

"I appreciate what you want to do for me, Eresh." Closing the distance between them they gently took her hands and uncurled them. "I really, really do. But if humanity doesn't continue on past 2018... no one will be able to be happy. We'll be gone and you..."

She covered their mouth with a hand, careful not to hurt them.

"You don't have to say it." Lifting her head Ereshkigal looked up at them with wet eyes. Her smile was resigned and sad. "Without you, we gods cannot exist. I know. I hate it more than you can imagine but... I _know_."

"Still," she added, lowering her hand slowly to clasp their own. "It's unfair that the one human I'm really fond of won't even allow me to protect them with all my might. You have no idea how frustrating that is, do you?"

They smiled, the expression an echo of her own. "Maybe just a little bit. I haven't been able to save everyone, you know."

"Hm. Then maybe you do understand." Releasing their hands she reached up, cupping their face between her warm palms. Her fingers slipped into their hair experimentally, not so much uncertain of what they wanted as whether the gesture would be accepted.

"I've seen so much with you." Ereshkigal murmured. "The upper world... places I had never heard of or dreamed could exist. We aren't anywhere close to being done yet and I... I want to go with you. To be at your side when it's time to put Solomon in his place."

Slowly, gently, she coaxed them down. Held them close to her so that there was almost no space between their bodies.

"If I cannot keep you here then I will follow you to the ends of the world and back for as long as it takes. As your Servant - no, as your _friend_." She chuckled a little, the newness of such a word still so odd and pleasant. "And when it comes time for you to die, Master - I will love and remember you always. Even if it's not me you come to."

_That's the way of things after all_ , she did not say. It would have been too sad. Even for her, the goddess of the netherworld.

"Thank you, Ereshkigal."

**Author's Note:**

> I'm hoping that this read well and that it's not too far off from Ereshkigal's in-game character. Really, what with all the gods/goddesses, demigods, demons and fae we attract to our side it's a little surprising that none of them have tried to dissuade the Protag like this. And I figure it would be heartbreaking, in Ereshkigal's eyes, to lose someone she's come to care for so much.


End file.
